Micromechanical devices, in particular micromechanical yaw rate sensors, are generally known which have drive devices in which primarily electrostatic comb finger drives are used. For a precise setting of the working amplitudes, in conventional micromechanical devices it is customary to use driven comb finger structures (so-called drive combs) in order to couple forces into components of the micromechanical devices which are oscillatable, and thus deflectable from a neutral position, as well as to use further comb finger structures, so-called drive detection combs, in order to measure a difference in capacitance, which is used as a control variable for the drive circuit.
For example, a micromechanical device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,346 which has a carrier substrate and a seismic mass, the carrier substrate and the seismic mass having multiple electrodes, so that the seismic mass is movable relative to the carrier substrate along a direction of motion.
For operating micromechanical devices, in particular yaw rate sensors, a circuit customarily generates periodic voltage curves (sinusoidal or rectangular pulses, for example) which via a capacitive drive structure on the sensor are then converted into periodic drive forces which set portions of the micromechanical devices, in particular those portions which function as a seismic mass, into oscillation.
As yaw rate sensors, sensors are often used which are composed of symmetrical coupled partial oscillators, so that interfering influences may be reduced via differential evaluation principles.
However, manufacturing-related factors may result in asymmetries between the partial oscillators of the micromechanical devices which adversely affect the functionality of the micromechanical devices, in particular the yaw rate sensor.